That Month I Finally Watched All the Marvel Movies For The Very First Time

So why I did decide to entirely skip the November scavenger hunt this year, to instead watch all 17 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies currently in existence, 16 of which (everything but the very first one, 2008's Iron Man) for the very first time? Well, partly it's in service of my ongoing attempt to find 1080p eye candy to watch on the 55-inch high-def television I received for Christmas last year; and partly, I admit, is so I can finally be a part of the national conversation when it comes to this juggernaut of a film franchise.

As a 48-year-old intellectual, I find myself with a low natural interest for bloated Hollywood superhero films, which is why I've seen…

So why I did decide to entirely skip the November scavenger hunt this year, to instead watch all 17 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies currently in existence, 16 of which (everything but the very first one, 2008's Iron Man) for the very first time? Well, partly it's in service of my ongoing attempt to find 1080p eye candy to watch on the 55-inch high-def television I received for Christmas last year; and partly, I admit, is so I can finally be a part of the national conversation when it comes to this juggernaut of a film franchise.

As a 48-year-old intellectual, I find myself with a low natural interest for bloated Hollywood superhero films, which is why I've seen barely any of these at this point; but as I've come to nostalgically realize in the last two years of being on Letterboxd, back in my teens and twenties I had just as much of an interest in summer popcorn tentpole flicks as anyone else. Is it just my age that has made me lose interest in these kinds of films? Have Hollywood summer popcorn films legitimately changed that much since my '80s youth? Or is the social component of it all a necessary thing for these kinds of movies' enjoyment, not just the films themselves but the excuse to go out with friends on a warm Friday night? I hope to explore all these issues as I make my way through these 17 films over the course of November, which I then plan on collecting up and publishing as a "Kindle Single" at Amazon in book form. I hope you'll have a chance to follow along; and as always, thoughtful and constructive comments are very welcome.